Mowaggedon.

It will come as no surprise to those readers living in the central U.S. that it is raining. It has been raining more or less for 8 weeks. We have met the 40 days and 40 nights of biblical recount and although we have not needed an ark, we certainly need patience.
Mowing is nearly impossible. It is wet. The grass grows. It continues to be wet. So, when to cut? This means the fauna of Cowfeathers have been lured into thinking our grazing pastures are open meadow. We do have a swath of land through the middle that is pretty untouched. It has high grass, and creek, and wetland- but the pastures are important. They feed the barn full of critters all summer, and for this they must be kept mowed and tidy. But I have not been doing so until this week. A few moments of sun- like time and a few of cloudy but not raining meant the pastures could be done. Huz did a bunch of the front pasture, leaving a central section unmowed. I went after the center section after work one day, watching carefully for the birds to tell me where to be cautious. Sure enough, towards the end of the mowing, two distressed killdeer took flight from the ground. So, I slowed, and found this nest in the grass. So, there remains an island of tall grass in the mowed front pasture.
I then went to the middle place to mow, again watching. I keep the mower at the highest setting for this reason:

Baby bunnies. They are left in little depression nests in the ground and covered with the fluff of their momma. The mower disturbs the fluff but leaves the nest and babies intact- as long as no one sticks their heads up for a peek. I go back and cover them with the fluff. I'll bet it is scary for the bunnies, but you can't tell where the nests are going to be!

Here is Peaches bandaged left fore. She seems sound on it now, but I'm still concerned and treating her like an invalid. This makes her ornery. I let her into her paddock this morning while I cleaned her stall. She burst through the electric wire to graze. So, this evening, I pumped up the power. Hopefully it will suffice.

Also this evening, we took our weekly picture of Mikey, to see his progress. He also weighed in at 960lbs, a gain of 30 lbs this week. I'll bet he was more this morning, but I let him into the pasture to get his freak on this afternoon, and he galloped about for a good half hour.

And tonight, at last barn chores, Huz carried grain up to the bins for me and as he walked into the barn, he spotted a raccoon! It was eating corn in the chicken  house. (The girls were all out  in the rainy yard). He ran up the wall, and I can't find him, but I've set the trap with corn cobs and marshmallows in the loft. Hopefully he'll visit the feast, instead of feasting on the hens or ducks!

Henry was all out of sorts tonight, jumping and flying at shadows. Poor things. I left the light on in the chicken house so everyone has a chance to see the masked marauder coming....